The following actions were taken by the Northwest Ohio Educational Service Center Governing Board at its regular meeting held July 28, 2026. The meeting was called to order at 6 p.m. by President Kelly Hug. All in attendance recited the Pledge of Allegiance.
Student Achievement Liaison Report
OSBA Student Achievement Liaison Nona Rupp reported on several items related to student achievement. A report on artificial intelligence and workforce readiness highlighted research indicating that while AI is improving efficiency and productivity, it may also contribute to gaps in critical thinking, communication, collaboration and other essential soft skills among individuals entering the workforce. The report encourages educators to intentionally foster these durable skills as AI becomes increasingly integrated into education and the workplace.
A report on financial literacy in K-12 education emphasized its growing importance as a core component of instruction. With most states now requiring financial literacy as a graduation requirement, the American Bankers Association recommends strengthening instruction through hands-on learning experiences and partnerships with local financial institutions to better prepare students for future financial decision-making.
A third report, “The Early Years Matter: Using Kindergarten Data to Support Student Success,” summarized recent NWEA research showing that students’ academic performance at the beginning of kindergarten is a strong predictor of third-grade reading and mathematics proficiency.
The findings reinforce the importance of early identification and intervention for struggling learners, emphasizing that high-quality early childhood education, effective screening practices, targeted academic supports and family engagement during the primary grades can significantly improve long-term student outcomes. The report encourages school districts to use early assessment data strategically to provide timely interventions before achievement gaps become more difficult to close.
CFO/Treasurer Report
CFO/Treasurer Abby Lorenzen reported that the MEP ID and Recruitment and Parent Mentor grant allocations for FY27 had not yet been released.
She noted that once the allocations are received, they will be presented to the Board for approval. She also reported that the IDEA-B, ECSE and Title III consortium grant allocations had been transferred to NwOESC and were included on the agenda for approval.
Lorenzen shared that the Fiscal Service Coordinator position assisted seven member districts during the past year by providing support with reconciliations, vacancy coverage, budgets, inventory and other fiscal services. She thanked the Board for its support of the program, noting that districts have been very appreciative of the service.
She reported that the annual Building Maintenance Fund transfer and an additional transfer to the Building Reserve Fund were on the agenda to support ongoing facility maintenance and future capital improvements. Lorenzen reminded the Board that the OSBA Capital Conference will be held November 15-17 and asked members to indicate their attendance plans at the August meeting to allow for timely registration and hotel reservations. Finally, she reported that Clark, Schaefer, Hackett will conduct the annual audit the week of October 5, with completion anticipated by late November.
Special Education Report
Director of Special Education Jill Gilliland shared that thanks to a generous donation from Shepherd’s Circle, the IEC will receive a new playground fence, scheduled for completion before the school year begins. The project will enclose the existing playground and add green space. Special thanks to Cecily Rohrs, Lilli Radabaugh, Jessie Curry, Chris Staup, Chad Rex and Straight Line Fencing for making the project possible.
Gilliland also thanked the supervisor team for their hard work recruiting new staff throughout the summer, with appreciation to Melissa Sears, Sarah Kirkingburgh, Michelle Leatherman and Brandi Nafziger for their efforts with job postings, recruitment and hiring.
The Wauseon High School Best Buddies Chapter was recognized as an Outstanding Chapter for the 2025-26 school year. NwOESC Intervention Specialists Kalli Hintz and Lynlee Reinking attended the 2026 International Best Buddies Leadership Conference, where they received the recognition from Anthony Shriver, founder of Best Buddies.
Curriculum, Instruction and Professional Development Report
Director of Curriculum, Instruction and Professional Development Andy Hunter reported that the Curriculum Department has spent much of the past month preparing professional learning opportunities for the upcoming school year.
Training will continue to focus on MTSS implementation, mathematics curriculum changes, value-added data, English Learner supports and other district priorities. He also shared that nationally recognized speaker Trevor Muir will be presenting in Northwest Ohio this year, providing educators with practical strategies to increase student engagement.
Hunter also shared that the Opportunity School and Suspension Center has been relocated to the IEC building, creating a more efficient model for serving students while allowing the programs to continue without the need for additional support staff. He recognized Jestine Curry and Chris Staup for their leadership in making the transition a success.
He also noted that training for new administrators in OTES, OPES and OSCES is now available through the STARS platform, and that the annual Administrative Conference on August 4 will officially kick off the school year with keynote speaker Katie Peters, whose presentation will focus on positivity, empathy and building strong school cultures.
Technology and Operations Report
Director of Technology and Operations Chad Rex reported that replacement solar panels have been received following the approved insurance claims and are awaiting installation by Woolace Electric.
Rex shared that two office spaces were renovated, converting one into an office and the other into a meeting room. He noted that three employee meeting rooms were also renamed the Ohio Room, Buckeye Room and Cardinal Room, and recognized Larry Davis for his contributions to the project’s successful completion.
Additionally, Rex highlighted that two annual meetings included in the Cybersecurity Co-Pilot program have been completed, including a technical discovery meeting and a key stakeholder meeting with Superintendent Weir and Abby Lorenzen. He stated that the first Quarterly Business Review is scheduled for September, when the updated cybersecurity report and recommendations will be reviewed.
Rex shared that he, Larry Davis and Pat Turpening have finalized preparations for the annual driver in-service training on August 3, noting that the event provides districts with quality training while helping drivers meet state training requirements.
He added that the transition of the ESC’s three online training courses to the new learning system is nearly complete, and that districts are already utilizing the fee-based courses to meet compliance requirements for van driver and preschool training.
Finally, Rex reported that summer technology preparations are well underway. He and Corey Todd have been preparing devices for new employees, updating inventory and phone assignments, and continuing the migration to the organization’s new device management systems.
IEC teachers will receive updated Chromebooks this year, and both the Apple and Windows device migrations are nearing completion, supporting improved device management and the continued implementation of Google Single Sign-On across the organization’s computing platforms.
Consent Items, Agreements and Approvals
The Board approved the following consent items: minutes from the regular Board meeting held June 23, 2026; and financial transactions, including appropriation modifications, transfers and advances, and monthly financial reports.
The Board approved the following service agreements and memoranda of understanding:
- Ayersville Local Schools to provide to NwOESC, Paraprofessional Services for the period of 8/15/26-6/15/27
- Defiance County Juvenile Probation to provide to NwOESC, Attendance Officer Services for the period of 7/1/26-6/30/27
- Henry County Common Pleas Court-Juvenile Division to provide to NwOESC, Attendance Officer Services for the period of 7/1/26-6/30/27
- Ohio Coalition for Equity and Adequacy of School Funding to provide to NwOESC, FY27 Annual Membership (Coalition and Voucher Litigation) for the period of 7/1/26-6/30/27
- Veregy to provide to NwOESC, Managed Maintenance Services for the period of 7/1/26-6/30/27
- NwOESC to provide to Antwerp Local Schools, Audiology Services for the period of 5/19/26-6/30/26
- NwOESC to provide to Antwerp Local Schools, Audiology Supported Services for the period of 8/15/26-6/15/27
- NwOESC to provide to Archbold Area Local Schools, Roots Analysis Services for the period of 7/1/26-6/30/27
- NwOESC to provide to Bowling Green City Schools, Visual Impairment (VI) Services for the period of 8/15/26-6/15/27
- NwOESC to provide to Elmwood Local Schools, Gifted Education Supervisory Services for the period of 8/15/26-6/15/27
- NwOESC to provide to Evergreen Local Schools, Root Analysis Services for the period of 7/1/26-6/30/27
- NwOESC to provide to Four County Career Center, Education Consultant Services for the period of 8/15/26-6/15/27
- NwOESC to provide to Four County Career Center, Social Worker Services for the period of 8/1/26-6/15/27
- NwOESC to provide to Hicksville Exempted Village Schools, Paraprofessional Services for the period of 8/15/26-6/15/27
- NwOESC to provide to Hicksville Exempted Village Schools, Roots Analysis Services for the period of 7/1/26-6/30/27
- NwOESC to provide to Holy Cross Catholic School, Occupational Therapist Services for the period of 8/15/26-6/15/27
- NwOESC to provide to Holy Cross Catholic School, Physical Therapy Services for the period of 8/28/26-6/15/27
- NwOESC to provide to Millcreek-West Unity Local Schools, Fiscal Services for the period of 7/1/26-6/30/27
- NwOESC to provide to Millcreek-West Unity Local Schools, Roots Analysis Services for the period of 7/1/26-6/30/27
- NwOESC to provide to North Central Local Schools, OBI Instruction for the period of 7/1/26-6/30/27
- NwOESC to provide to North Central Local Schools, Roots Analysis Services for the period of 7/1/26-6/30/27
- NwOESC to provide to Northwood Local Schools, Visual Impairment (VI) Services for the period of 8/15/26-6/15/27
- NwOESC to provide to Otsego Local Schools, Visual Impairment (VI) Services for the period of 8/15/26-6/15/27
- NwOESC to provide to Sylvania City Schools, Visual Impairment (VI) Services for the period of 8/15/26-6/15/27
The Board ratified the following service agreement:
- Bonefish Systems to provide to NwOESC, Complete Accounts Payable Monitoring Solutions for the period of 7/1/26-6/30/31
The Board approved NwOESC handbooks for the 2026-27 school year as recommended, including the Certified Staff Handbook, Classified Staff Handbook, Preschool Parent Handbook, IEC Parent/Student Handbook, Northwest Ohio Opportunity School Parent Handbook/Student Handbook, 21st Century Staff Handbook, 21st Century Parent/Student Handbook (Sample), LPDC Handbook and Bus and Van Driver Handbook.
The Board approved the transfer from the General Fund (001-0000) to the Building Maintenance Fund (001-9090) and from the General Fund (001-0000) to the Building Reserve Fund (001-9091) for fiscal year 2027. NBEC/NWOCA will be invoiced the identical amount for the funds. Expenses for the Building Maintenance Fund will be reviewed prior to the end of the fiscal year to insure a positive fund balance.
The Board also approved the Governmental Pre-Approved 403(b) Plan Adoption Agreement #12-001.
Personnel: Leaves, Retirement and Resignations
The Board approved personnel consent items including leaves under FMLA and disability.
The following retirement was approved: Stacey Parrish, Education Consultant, effective 7/31/2026.
The following resignations were approved:
- Grace Ayers, Floating Teacher, effective 6/30/2026
- Amy Beck, Intervention Specialist, effective 7/9/2026
- Hanna Jeffers, Intervention Specialist, effective 7/31/2026
- Jenifer Kitchenmaster, School Psychologist, effective 9/1/2026
- Alexis Morris, Instructional Assistant/Substitute Teacher – Autism, effective 7/31/2026
- Tiffany Proper, Paraprofessional, effective 7/15/2026
- Jackie Roehrig, Intervention Specialist, effective 7/31/2026
- Nevaeh Rogers, Paraprofessional, effective 7/31/2026
- Johanna Sutton, Behavior Consultant Specialist, effective 7/20/2026
- Betsy Torres, Paraprofessional, effective 6/30/2026
Personnel: Contracts and Substitute Approvals
Certified administrative:
- Kelly Pool – one-year contract, 8/1/2026-7/31/2027
Certified limited:
- Kim Cavanaugh – one-year contract, 8/18/2026-11/26/2026
- Heather Diehl – one-year contract, 8/1/2026-7/31/2027
- Renee Hardy – one-year contract, 8/1/2026-7/31/2027
- Emma Recker – one-year contract, 8/1/2026-7/31/2027
Certified supplemental:
- Kelly Groll – CPI, one-year contract, 8/1/2026-7/31/2027
- Kris Ritter – CPI, one-year contract, 8/1/2026-7/31/2027
- Olivia Selgo – CPI, one-year contract, 8/1/2026-7/31/2027
- Julie Weber – CPI, one-year contract, 8/1/2026-7/31/2027
- Midori Shaink – LPDC, one-year contract, 9/1/2026-6/30/2027
- Shanna Sidle – LPDC, one-year contract, 9/1/2026-6/30/2027
- Staci Wagner – LPDC, one-year contract, 9/1/2026-6/30/2027
- Michelle Winters – LPDC, one-year contract, 9/1/2026-6/30/2027
Classified limited:
- Dawn Ball – one-year contract, 8/6/2026-7/31/2027
- Samantha Benner – one-year contract, 8/6/2026-7/31/2027
- Jaden Coulon – one-year contract, 8/6/2026-7/31/2027
- Erica Cundick – one-year contract, 7/28/2026-7/31/2027
- Mackenzi Decker – one-year contract, 8/6/2026-7/31/2027
- Kelli Dreher – one-year contract, 8/6/2026-7/31/2027
- Dylan Grahn – one-year contract, 8/6/2026-7/31/2027
- Sarah Harris – one-year contract, 8/6/2026-7/31/2027
- Sheila Killam – one-year contract, 8/6/2026-7/31/2027
- Kenneth Muntz – one-year contract, 8/1/2026-7/31/2027
- Lora Richards – one-year contract, 8/6/2026-7/31/2027
- Emily Waikel – one-year contract, 8/6/2026-7/31/2027
- Heather Wheeler – one-year contract, 8/6/2026-7/31/2027
- Rebecca Wilhelm – one-year contract, 7/28/2026-7/31/2027
- Nancy Yambor – one-year contract, 8/6/2026-7/31/2027
Classified limited, School Year Enrichment (Saturday Camp):
- Teresa Keller – one-year contract, 7/1/2026-6/30/2027
- Emiley Kollarik – one-year contract, 7/1/2026-6/30/2027
- Donna Mann – one-year contract, 7/1/2026-6/30/2027
- Tristen Slicker – one-year contract, 7/1/2026-6/30/2027
- Dorothy Myers – one-year contract, 7/1/2026-6/30/2027
Classified notice, hourly rate:
- Sarah Herman
- Shelby Williams
- Jackie Fouty
Certified notice:
- Michelle Winters
The Board approved Lindsay Gordon as Summer Honors Academy teacher, and a medical leave of absence for a specified staff member.
The Board approved mentor service for Resident Educators, including additional wage payments for Year 1 Mentor Service, Terry Lind mentoring Tiffany McBride, and Year 2 Mentor Service, Kris Ritter mentoring Johanna Sutton.
The Board approved the following substitute teachers and paraprofessionals:
DSS Long-Term Substitute Paraprofessional: Jessica Hartman, Krista Snyder.
2026-27 Substitute Paraprofessional: Hannah Booth, Isaac Brenneman, Kamryn Chaffee, Kelijo Chaffee, Isabelle Cohara, Barbara Galbraith, Anne Healy, Ginger Hibbs, Danielle Klinge, Ashley Kryder, Misty Mekus, Joyce Miller, Tami Rohlf, Constance Smith, Alyssa Smith-Yackee, Miranda Turner, Rochelle Van Loocke and Erin Yoder.
2026-27 Substitute Teachers: Brittani Alvarado, Gavin Askins, Klayton Boland, Hannah Booth, Alex Buchhop, Thomas Burke, Charles Cary, Piyawan Chapman, Margaret Clark, James Clay, Ronald Cody, Isabelle Cohara, Kaitlyn Creek, Kathryn Day, Megan DeGroff, Bradley Dunkle, Sonia Flower, Kay Ford, Mary Garman, Heidi Garretson, Miranda Giddens, Bryon Hansel, Beth Headley, Anne Healy, Ginger Hibbs, Kevin Homier, Brady Hoylman, Susan Hug, Terry Humbarger, Amy Jones, Jeffrey Keim, Danielle Klinge, Makayla Mays, Karen Meister, Sarah Meyer, Kylee Miller, Aimee Naveau, Christina Norman, Rachel Orr, Ethan Panico, Susan Peverly, Ava Powell, Tami Rohlf, Raquel Romero, Martha Rose, Steven Schlosser, Cheyenne Segura, Richard Selgo, Jessica Sharps, Julie Shook, Constance Smith, Karrie Smith, James Snively, Victoria Spencer, Sarah Stuckey-Diaw, Deanna Temple-Frederick, Heather Thomas-Eiden, Timothy Thompson, Ethan Van Loocke, Rochelle Van Loocke, Anita Van Zile, Jamie Vogelsong, Shirley Wagner, Chloe Wiechers, Tabitha Wolf, Darren Yeager, Danielle Yoder, Erin Yoder and Carly Zeiter.
The Board also approved an additional substitute teacher for 2026-27, Jacqueline Singer, and a rescinded offer voiding the 2026-27 employment contract for Victoria Santos, Paraprofessional, who declined the offer.
Information and Discussion Items
The 2025-26 Annual Report on Food and Beverage Sold on School Premises was shared with the Board. NwOESC appreciates the Northeastern Local School District for preparing breakfast and lunch for the IEC program.
The OSBA Capital Conference and Trade Show will be held November 15-17, 2026, at the Greater Columbus Convention Center.
The State of Ohio Sales Tax Holiday 2026 will take place Friday, August 7 through Sunday, August 9, 2026. Eligible items include clothing priced at $75 or less per item and school supplies/instructional materials priced at $20 or less per item.
Superintendent’s Report
Superintendent Kerri Weir reported on several updates and initiatives involving the Northwest Ohio Educational Service Center. Weir shared that the Coalition of Ohio Rural and Appalachian Schools (CORAS) is currently undergoing a rebranding effort to better reflect its focus on serving rural and small-town school districts throughout Ohio.
She noted that this renewed direction aligns closely with the mission of educational service centers and the unique opportunities and challenges facing the districts served by NwOESC. As part of the upcoming NwOESC Administrators’ Conference on August 4, Chancellor Randy Gardner and Dr. Jay Selgo will provide opening remarks and share perspectives on rural education.
Weir also provided updates on several service outreach efforts and potential partnerships for future consideration. She highlighted the major NwOESC events that will officially launch the 2026-27 school year: on Monday, August 3, approximately 420 participants are expected to attend the annual Bus and Van Driver Training at Archbold High School; on Tuesday, August 4, the NwOESC Administrators’ Conference will welcome approximately 185 educational leaders from across the region; and the week’s events will conclude on Thursday, August 6, when more than 400 NwOESC staff members gather for the Annual Fall Staff Meeting to begin the new school year with a focus on collaboration, service and student success.
Weir concluded her report by expressing sincere appreciation to the NwOESC administrative team, supervisors and consultants, departmental office administrators and support staff, technology staff, and building and maintenance staff.
She recognized their dedication, teamwork and countless behind-the-scenes efforts throughout the summer in preparing for the new school year, noting that the success of NwOESC is a direct reflection of the commitment of many individuals working together toward a shared mission.
Executive Session and Adjournment
The Board entered executive session for the purpose of: (A) consideration of the appointment, employment, dismissal, discipline, promotion, demotion or compensation of a public employee or official; and (B) investigation of charges or complaints against a public employee, official, licensee or student, unless such employee, licensee or student requests a public meeting – except that consideration of the discipline of a Board member for conduct related to the performance of his or her duties, or his or her removal from office, shall not be held in executive session. No action was taken upon exiting executive session.
As all the business of the evening was complete, the meeting adjourned at 6:56 p.m. The next regular meeting of the Board will take place Tuesday, August 25, 2026, at 6 p.m. at the Northwest Ohio Educational Service Center, 205 Nolan Parkway, Archbold, OH 43502.
